By Jennifer Marshall
“There’s no place like home!” Dorothy’s pivotal line from “The Wizard of Oz” expresses the sentiment of seniors who prefer living in the comfort of their home. That’s why Denise and Eric Kaye have made it their mission to fulfill these elders’ wishes through their local in-home healthcare agency Connections in Home Care.
The Kayes are not only business partners who own and operate Connections in Home Care but also husband and wife. Eric founded the firm in November of 2014, Denise later joined him.
“We help adults who are physically challenged; it’s mainly an older crowd,” said Eric. “Denise and I both have extensive healthcare experience. We’re very hands-on; we know all our clients and caregivers, and we serve the entire Valley.”
While Eric worked in the healthcare field, it was his grandmother who inspired him to venture into in-home healthcare. When her health declined, Eric and his mother became her in-home caregivers.
“His grandmother was from Greece,” said Denise, “and she hid for four years during the Holocaust. The village where they lived received information that the Nazis were coming, and about 12 people actually hid.”
Eric’s experience with his grandmother led to his connection with the local Jewish Family and Children Services (JFCS). They later recruited him to manage their in-home healthcare service. He worked in this capacity for about five years before opening Connections in Home Care.
“The JFCS had a contract for caring for Holocaust survivors,” said Eric, “and when I left, they asked me to take that contract with me. Many of the survivors were kids or teens during the war, and now they’re well into their 90s. They never see an invoice for our services as everything is covered through reparations paid by Germany.”
“Our Holocaust survivors are the minority of our client base, but we’re very proud and honored to serve them,” said Denise.
The Kayes describe their agency as a concierge service. Not only do they provide the best care, but they go above and beyond the scope of most in-home firms by doing more for their clients.
“We’re not just providing a caregiver in our client’s home,” said Denise. “We’re overseeing our client’s wellness to hopefully keep them from going into the hospital. Our caregivers cook, which ensures they receive nutritious meals, and they take care of their personal hygiene care.”
“We’re essentially bringing assisted living to our client’s home,” said Eric, “and our ratio is 1:1. We do all levels of care, and we can accommodate anyone.”
They employ only the most qualified of caregivers who are licensed CNAs or home health aides.
Once a prospective employee passes a phone screening, they’re called in for an extensive interview. Thorough background checks and drug testing are also run on all potential candidates.
“The reason we call ourselves Connections,” said Denise, “is because of the bonds that are formed between us, our clients and our caregivers.”
Connections in Home Care is located at 3509 E. Shea Blvd Ste 108 in Phoenix and can be reached at 602-708-8626. For more information, visit connectionsinhomecare.com
